Bruce Catton

Bruce Catton Historical Figure Nationality: United States Year of Birth: 1899 Year of Death: 1978 Cause of Death: Lung illness Religion: Congregationalism Occupation: Journalist, Author of Non-Fiction, Government Employee Spouse: Hazel Cherry Children: William Military Branch: United States Navy (World War I) Fictional Appearances: The Guns of the South POD: January 17, 1864 Type of Appearance: Posthumous/pre-natal reference

Charles Bruce Catton (October 9, 1899 – August 28, 1978) was an American historian and journalist, known best for his books concerning the American Civil War. Known as a narrative historian, Catton specialized in popular history, featuring interesting characters and historical vignettes, in addition to the basic facts, dates, and analyses. Although his books were researched well and included footnotes, they were not generally presented in a rigorous academic style. He won a Pulitzer Prize during 1954 for A Stillness at Appomattox, his study of the final campaign of the war in Virginia.

Literary comment

Harry Turtledove used an allohistorical suggestion in Catton's The Coming Fury as the basis for his story "Lee at the Alamo".

Bruce Catton in The Guns of the South

Among the many books Bruce Catton wrote was the narrative portion of The American Heritage Picture History of the Civil War. A copy of the Picture History, 1996 edition, taken back in time from 2014 to the 1860s, became a very valuable reference source for Robert E. Lee after he received a copy stolen by Melvin Bean from the Rivington Men in 1868.